Competition watchdog launches investigation into Google
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Google could be required to hand over data it collects to businesses as the UK competition regulator launched an investigation into the tech giant. The Competition and Markets Agency (CMA) said it launched the inquiry to assess how Google's search and advertising services impact users and businesses such as advertisers, news websites, and rival search engines.
It will be looking to see if Google used its dominant market position to stop others from competing and if barriers are preventing potential rivals from entering the market. Money blog: Spain proposes 100% tax on foreign-owned homes. Of particular interest to the CMA is whether Google can "shape the development" of new AI services.
Also being assessed is whether Google is using its prime position to preference its own services, such as Google Shopping and Google Flights. "Potential exploitative conduct" through Google's collection and use of "large quantities of consumer data" without informed consent will be examined, as will the use of things like news articles without paying the publishers, the CMA said.
Google unveils 'astonishing' quantum computing chip called Willow. Google reveals 2024's most searched-for topics and questions in the UK. Google could be forced to sell its Chrome browser over internet search monopoly claims. The CMA could compel Google to make collected data available to other businesses or order them to give publishers more control over how their data is used.
